Blue-printing machine.



F. H. HOFFMAN.

BLUE PRINTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR-3,1916- 1 ,21 9,944. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. H. HOFFMAN.

BLUE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. a. 1916.

1 ,2]. 9,944. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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F. H. HOFFMAN.

BLUE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-3.1916.

1 ,21 9,944. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

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F. H. HOFFMAN.

BLUE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATEON. mu) MAR. 3. 1916.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

OFFICE.

FREDERICK H. HOFFMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WIL- LIAMS, BROWN & EARLE, INCL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

BLUE-PRINTING MACHINE.

Application filed March 3, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDEMCK H. Horr- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of leni'isylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blue-Printing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a blue printing machine first whereby the endless conveyor positively actuated in contact with a bed can be quickly shifted to be removed from contact with the bed or from the machine for readily cleaning one side of the bed; second, whereby the table, bed and endless conveyer may be quickly assembled as well as released in the position of such parts of the machine, without having to loosen or remove screws, bolts and nuts to accomplish such defined results; third, whereby the tracing cloth and sensitized sheet to receive the imprint of the design or drawing of the tracing are both fed uniformly, in unison, through the machine, without requiring handling or necessary attention of the operator after starting the same, as the feeding is effected from a drawer of the table beyond the front of the machine so that it makes no difference whether the body and arms of the operator are resting respectively against or on the table, the feed of the said tracing-cloth and sensitized sheet are not influenced or affected thereby; fourtl, the provision of the machine with a rece 'itacle or trough shiftable from the front above the machine for the traci .g or sensitized sheet or both to drop into in front of the machine in normal position and below the location of inclosed arc lamps of the machine which also in such position shield the same, fifth, the provision of the machine with a change-gear mechanism, whereby through the simple operation of a lever at one side of the operator in front of the machine, high, lowor intermediate speeds can be quickly given the machine, according to the work to be done and character of sensitized sheets used, for the blue printing operation; sixth, the provision of the machine with a series of shielded inclosed arc lamps vertically positioned in front of a vertically located bed and shiftable up and down and sidewise on supports to change or concentrate the beam of light or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 191 7.

Serial No. 81,817.

illumination in respect to the drawing or design transferred to the sensitized sheet in passage through the machine, preparatory to washing and drying the sheet to co1nplete the same for use; seventh, the pro vision of the machine with a controller device having variable resistance coils in the form of cartridges and shiftable double throw knife switches to quickly as well as effectively control lighting and heating means in a circuit in the blue printing and drying operations of transferred prints from the tracing cloth onto a sensitized sheet in passage through the machine, by the simple shifting of the switches of said means that control the illuminating of the tracing and sensitized sheet during printing and the drying of the previously transferred prints into a heater and while other prints are being made in the machine; eighth, to the provision of the machine with a table removably fitted to the front of the machine and having a drawer with an infolding lid and a slot through which the sensitized sheet is led along the table and between the bed and endless conveyor uniformly, without regard to what the posi tion of the operator may be in front of the table; and ninth, to the provision of the machine with other details of constructive arrangement designed to simplify manual. manipulations and automatic travel. of a tracing cloth and sensitized sheet through the machine, without special attention re- 1. luirod on the part of the a ttcndant, and with arranged parts easily and quickly manipulated by the attendant for increasing or decreasing the spced of travel of the tracing and sensitized sheet through the same and for stopping and starting the machine.

The nature and scope of my present in vention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which- Figure 1, is a front elevational view of a blue printing machine embodying the main features of my said invention.

Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view on the line m, w, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a side view of the right hand extremity of the machine.

Fig. 4, is a fragmentary sectional view of the manner of removably holding the ver- Cir tical glass or other type of transparent or semi-transparent bed in bearings of the slotted frame therefor and also showing the pun tles engaging the slotted frame for holding the bed in position.

Fig. 5, is a fragmentary detail, enlarged, of means for shifting the lower carrier roller of the endless conveyer to enable said roller to be shifted to release the conveyer from contact with the bed.

Fig. 6, is a view partly in broken section and partly in elevation of the change gear mechanism to control the different speeds of the machine; and

Fig. 7, is a diagrammatic plan view of the circuit from the electric motor to control the starting and stopping device of the machine.

Referring to the drawings a and 64 are the side standards held apart with respect to each other by means of a forked cross-frame (t bolted thereto, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. To the standards are supported castings or skeleton fran cs 1.4", which are snbstaip tially semi-circular in front in a vertical direction. ln the semi-circular portion are provided slots a, a, for a transparent or other suitable type of bed 2), held to place by inserted cotter-pins ((7, carried by chains to, fastened to the frame, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. ln rear of the bed ceiving slots of the said frame are arranged notches a and a forming bearings. Immediately adjoining these notches is located a long curved slot a terminating at the lower end in an enlarged slot o as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. in the notches a and (L8, are respectively mounted a carrier roller a and an idler roller a, for an endless conveyer or apron c normally held in contact witi said rollers a and c and against the said bed 7). The opening (0 is offset into a slot (1)", in which is mounted at the extreme end. thereof the carrier roller (4 This carrier roller a, embraced by said conveyer or apron c, and normally held in the offset slit a, extending from the said opening a, is removably engaged by a drop pawl or catch a, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, so that the apron or conveyor 0, against the glass or ther bed Z), may be maintained in the required taut operative condition in the passage of the tracing (Z, with a sensitired sheet 0, between the bed and conveyer, for deriving an imprinttherefrom onto the said sensitized sheet. 011 one end of the carrier-roller a, mounted a miter-gear a, engaging a small complemental gear a, mounted on a vertical connecting rod a", journaled to the frame a and standard (L as clearly shown in Fig. 3, the lower end of said vertical connecting rod carries a small miter-gear (4 engaging a eomple mental gear (6 mounted on a cross-shaft a. This shaft is journaled in the standards a and a and is operated by an electric motor 7, through the intervention of a change gear mechanism, for altering the speeds of the machine, that is, to cerive high, low or intermediate speeds or to shift from high to low or intermediateto low or high or vice versa. This mechanism consists of a norm 7, fitted to tne motor shaft 7', and engaging a worm-wheel loosely mounted on the cross-shaft a, to which is secured a pinion 7", meshing with a gear 7, mounted on a stud This stud carries a three-step geararrangement and 7, each connected with the other and loosely mounted on the said. stud. On the crossshaft (4 are shiftably connected gears 7 and 7, by means of a key 7', secured to the shaft a fitted pins 7', for entering slots 7, of the pinion f, secured to and revolving with the Warm-wheel An operating lever f is pivoted to a stud 7', which latter carries a vertical lever 7", arranged with a roller 7', at the upper end and engaging one of the faces of the gears f and f, so that when said operating lever is actuated the gears f and f, are shifted into en gagement with the gears f and f, to derive either a low speed or an intermediate speed of the conveyor 0, in contact with the bed 6. In order to derive a high speed of the conveyor 0, the gear 7, is shifted so that the pins f enter the slots f, of the pinion 7"". This operation is effected by shifting the operating lever P, which coincidentally actuates the vertical lever f", shifting th reby the said gear f, in the manner just e3;- plaiued. In order to hold the conveyer idle, it only necessary to shift the gears f and f, so as to occupy positions out of engagement with the gears and f, as will be clearly understood from Fig. 6 of the drawings. In Fig. l, is shown on the cross-shaft (4 a sprocket\\'heel 64"", for engaging a sprocket chain therewith, when the blue printing machine is to be connected with a combined washing and drying apparatrs, not shown. In the front of the frame a", is provided two Lbars a, to receive and support a table (4 having an under drawer (W, with an infolding lid a, arranged to provide a space (0 between the lid folded inward and the table (4 for the rolled sensitized sheet and tracing, or only the former suitably held therein in unwinding from the drawer a, to be drawn by the traveler convcyer through the said space o over the said table (6 and between the said bed 5,-

and endless conveyer o for receiving the imprint by transfer thereto, as will be clearly understood from Fig. 2. If for any purpose it is desirable at any time to remove the table a, this is accomplished by simply taking hold of the same as it is instantly re-' movable from its bearings in the I-bars of To one face of the "ear are the frame a as will be understood from Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In the front of the frame a", is arranged hollow tubing (L23 and a, through which wiring is passed to the series of vertically suspended inclosed arc lamps 9, arranged so that they may be readily or quickly shifted up and down as well as swung sidewise to concentrate the beam of light or illumination onto the particular part or portion of the design or drawing being transferred as well as to facilitate access to the lamps for trimming or other attention thereto. These lamps have hoods c0 arranged about each of them, to shield the glare from the operator attemling upon the machine. Cut-out switches o are pro vided in the tubing to the wires forming the circuit of the series of lamps to cut off any of the said lamps of the series as may be desirable at any time, as will be clearly understood from Fig. 1. To the upper front edge of the frames a above the feed table 0. is hinged a depending trough or receptacle (L28, for catching the liberated tracing and sensitized sheet or either of them, after passing through the machine, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and which trough is so arranged as to swing vertically above the machine and so as to rest in supports e therefor, when it is desired to have it out of the way, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The line lamp circuits 10 and 11, lead to and through a circuit controlling device 70, located at the left hand side of the machine thence to a starting and stopping device 2', in which a cut out switch 2', is included to control the cutting out and in of the current to and through the motor 7', from the distant source of energy, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The particular structural features of the circuit controlling device h, form the subject matter of a separate application (Serial No. 81,816) for a patent filed by me, under date of March 3rd, 1916, and to which recourse may be had, for a full understanding of the general arrangement thereof.

The foot treadle a, by a vertical connecting rod o connected with a crossbar a, removably connected with the journals of the carrier roller (1, which is in the offset slots'a of the enlarged openings (4 by means of springs a, whereby through the depressing of the said foot treadle, the endless conveyer or apron 0, may in its normally taut position against the transparent or other type of bed 7), be relieved sufficiently to permit of the release of thetracing from between the bed 7), and conveyer c, if for any momentary reason it becomes necessary.

The said lower carrier roller a, is en gaged by the pivotal catches a, at. both sides of the machine, Figs. 2 and 3, which are in pivotal connection with segments a, carried by a shaft a. This shaft is connected with the inverted T-bars a, by means of a link connection a The journals of the lower roller a, have collars (Z457 mounted loosely on the same, as clearly shown in detail in Fig. These journals thereby are afforded an independent movement within the said collars in the offset slots (4, of the frame a, so that therefore when the treadle is depressed the said collars will be shifted in said slots, yet the journals of said carrier roller a, will contiuue to revolve in said collars independently of the shifted movement of the said collars, which is desirable, especially if the machine has not been stopped, and shifting of said roller a, is necessary to change the positions of the tracing with. respect to the sensitized sheet passing therewith through the machine.

One of the important features in the arrangement of the machine hereinbefore described the facility with which the bed fitted to the machine can be cleaned by simply depressing the treadle a, to shift the carrier roller a, into the path of the opening a, and hence instantly the upper carrier roller a, may be released from its bearings into the long slot 64 of the frames (1 to permit of the freeing of the said carrier roller through the opening a, and therewith the conveyer c, if necessary, so that free access to the entire back of the bed 6, may be had for the cleansing of the surface of the same and this without disturbing the said bed.

In Fig. 7, is shown in diagrammatic view the starting and stopping device *5, with its switching lever 2' adapted to engage contact points i for controlling the amperage of the line circuit from the distant source of energy to and through the lamps and mo-- tor by the shifting of the switching lever '5 over or in contact with the points '11, thereof, as will be cl arly understood from said view and in conjunction with Figs. 1 and 3.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a blue printing machine, side frames each provided with an oblong slot, in combination with a bed mounted therein and means extending through the walls bounding each of the slots of said sideframes to hold said bed against sidewise removal.

2. In a blue printing machine, side frames having slots, a bed, means extending into the walls bounding said slots for holding said bed against removal, a conveyer positively operated in contact with said bed, a table in front of the machine and a trough suspended above said table for receiving the retained tracing or sensitized sheet or both, said trough adapted to be shifted onto the top of the machine.

3. in a blue printing machine, side frames provided with long narrow slots, a bedplate held in position in said slots and readily removable therefrom, said frames each provided with notches merging into a long slot terminating in an enlarged circular slot with an offset slot leading therefrom, carrier-rollers and an idler roller resg iectively, journaled in said notches and 0&- set slot, an endless apron or conveyor and means to positively actuate one of saidcarrier rollers.

-c-l-. In a blue printing machine, side frames provided with long narrow slots, a bed plate held in position and so as to be readily removed thereit'roim'said frames each provided with notches merging into a long slot termina ting in an enlarged opening with an offset slot leading therefrom, carrier-rollers and an idler roller respectively, journaled in iid notches and offset slot, an endless apron or con veyer engaging said. rollers, and a pawl or catch suitably enga ing one of said carrier rollers for holding said apron or eonveyer in an operative relation in contact with said bed plate.

in a blue printing machine, side frames provided with long narrow slots, a bed plate held in position and so as to be readily removed sidewise therefrom, each of said frames provided with notches directly merging into a long slot terminating in an enlarged slot with an ol'lset slot leading therefrom, carrier rollers and an idler roller respectively, journaled in said notches and offset slot, an endless apron or conveyer engaging said rollers, pawls or catches engag ing the journals of one of the carrier rollers and means to shift said apron or conveyer into an inoperative relation with respect to said bed plate.

(3. In a blue printing machine, side frames provided with long narrow slots, a. bed plate held in position. and readily removable sidewise, said frames each provided with notches directly merging into a long slot terminating in an enlarged slot with an off set slot leading therefrom, carrier rollers and an idler roller respectively, journaled in said notches and offset slot, an endless apron or conveyor engaging said rollers, manual means to shift oneof said carrierrollers to release said conveyor from contact with said bed plate and to permit of the quick removal of said rollers and conveyer.

7. In a blue printing machine, side frames provided with long narrow slots, a bed plate held in position and removable sidewise, said frames each provided with notches directly merging into a long slot terminating in an enlarged slot with an offset slot leading therefrom, carrier rollers and an idler i ,aionia roller respectively journaled in said notches and offset slot, an endless apron or conveyor engaging said rollers, a starting and stopping device and means to positively actuate one of said carrier-rollers and controlled by said device.

8. in a blue printing machine, vertically rollei a conveyor mounted onsaid carrier 4 rollers held in bearings arranged to merge into slots of said frames and said slots terminating in slots with offset slots leading therefrom and one of said carrier rollers mounted therein and operably arranged to be shifted to slacken said cmiveyer, substantially as and for the purposes described.

10. In a blue printing machine, a bed, side frames each having a narrow slot for engaging and supporting said bed in position and a wider slot located adjacent to the former having notches in one wall thereof, carrier-rollers andan intermediate idler roller, and said notches forming bearings for the respective rollers, said wide slots having circular openings, an endless apron .or conveyor adapted to be impelled. by said carrier rol ers and means to positively actuate one of said carrier-rollers, substantially as and for the purposes described.

11. in a blue printing machine, a bed, side frames each having a. narrow slot for engaging and removably supporting said bed in position and a wider slot arranged ad- 'acent to the former slot havin notches in i i D one wall thereof, carrier-rollers and an intermediate idler roller, and said notches forming bearings for the respective rollers, an endless apron or conveyor adapted to be impelled by said carrier-rollers, means for positively actuating one of said carrierrollers and manual. means for shifting the lower of said carrier rollers, substantially as and for the purposes described.

12. In a blue printing machine, vertically supported frames provided with curved slots, a bed-plate, means extending into the walls bounding the slots of said side-frames for holding said bed-plate in position against removal, a series of shielded lamps located in advance of said bed plate and adjustable vertically and sidewise to facilitate the concentration of light and to clean, trim or repair the same.

13. In a blue printing machine, vertically supported liranles provided with slots, a bedplate, means extending into the walls bounding the said slots for holding said bed-plate in position and a series of shielded lamps located in. advance of said bed plate and adjustable vertically and sidewise.

141-. In a blue printing machine, vertically supported frames providedwith slots, a bedplate, means extending into the walls bounding the said slots for holding said bed-plate in ].(-}i.}lli1'd position, a series of lamps arranged in advance of said bed plate, an enclconveyer in contact with said bed and a table advance of said bed plate and having a slot therein to feed therethrough a sensitized sheet to and between said bed plate and conveyer automatically, after starting the same. 7

15. In a blue printing machine, vertically supported frames provided with curved slots, a bed-plate, means extending into the waiia bounding the said slots for holding said bed plate in required position, a series of lamps arranged in advance of said bed plate, an endless conveyor in contact with said bed plate and a table in advance of said bed plate and having a feeding slot therein for the delivery of the sensitized sheet uniformly to and between said bed plate and conveyer.

16. In a blue printing machine, vertically supported frames provided with slots, a bed-plate, means extending into the walls bounding the said slots for holding said bed-plate in required position, an endless conveyer, a catch or pawl, carrier-rollers, said catch or pawl adapted to engage one of the journals of said carriers to hold it in position against removal, and means to re lease said roller from its normally operative relation with said conveyer.

17. In a blue printing machine, side frames having oblong slots therein, in combination with a bed-plate and means extending through the walls bounding the said slots to hold said bed-plate against sidewise movement, an endless conveyer held normally in contact with said bed plate, a treadle and means operated by said treadlc to instantly disengage the conveyor from said bed plate,

18. In a blue printing machine, side frames having oblong slots therein, in combination with a bed-plate mounted therein, means extending through the walls bounding the slots of said side-frames for holding said bed-plate in required position, an endless conveyer held normally in bearing con tact with said bed plate, a foot treadle and means operated by said treadle to instantly disengage the conveyer from said bed plate.

19. In a blue printing machine, side frames having oblong slo s formed therein, in combination with a bed plate, means extending through the walls bounding the slots of said side-frames for holding said bed-plate against sidewise movement therein, an endless conveyer held normally in contact with said bed plate, means to feed a tracing and sensitized sheet from the front of the machine, irrespective of position of the op erator thereat to and between said bed plate and conveyer and means to release the conveyer from contact with said bed plate.

20. In a blue printing macnine, side frames each provided with an oblong slot, in combination with a bed plate mounted therein, said frame having a slot arranged alongside of said bed plate, carrier-rollers and an idler roller supported in said bedplate, an endless conveyer engaging said rollers, means to positively actuate said conveyer connected with one of said carrier-rollers, means in detachable engagement with the journals of one of said carrier-rollers and adapted to be operated to shift said carrier roller to quickly remove the conveyer from contact with said bed plate.

21. In a blue printing machine, a bed, side frames having inrrrow slots for receiving and retaining said bed, said frames having slots adjacent to the former slots with notches in the walls thereof, carrier and idler rollers, said slots and notches forming bearings for said carrier and idler rollers, an endless traveler conveyor mounted in connection with said rollers, catches in locking engagement with the journals of one of said carrier-rollers, in offset portions of said slots intermediate of enlarged circular slots and means manually operated to shift said last named carrier roller by release first of the catches from the journals thereof, substantially as and for the purposes described.

22. In a blue printing machine, side frames having two sets of slots formed therein, one set having enlarged openings as part thereof and offset extensions there; from, a bed-plate mounted in one of said sets and carrier and idler rollers inserted and secured to position. through the other of said sets and carrying a traveler endless conveyer normally held in close proximity to said bed and means to shift one of said rollers from both sides of the machine to release said conveyer from its contact with said bed.

23. In a blue printing machine, side frames having two sets of slots formed therein, one set having enlarged openings as part thereof and offset extensions therefrom, a bed-plate mounted in one of said sets and carrier and idler rollers inserted and secured to position through the other sets and carrying a traveler endless conveyer normally held in close proximity to said bed plate, means to shift one of said rollers from both sides of the machine to renaienee to said bed plate, and means to shift one of said rollers from both sides of the machine to release said conveyor from contact with said bed plate.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

F.EDERI@K H. HQFFMAN. Witnesses v Tune. Rosninmn, Rosa E. SMITH.

lease said conveyor from said bed plate and a starting and stopping device.

In a blue printing machine, side frames having two sets of slots formed therein and one set having enlarged openings as part thereof with offset extensions therefrom, a bed-plate mounted in one of said sets and carrier and idler rollers inserted and secured to position through the other sets and carrying a traveler endless conveyer normally held in close proximity Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Connuissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

